AUSTIN COUNTY SEEKING CAPITAL MURDER TRIAL HELP

Few counties have had more capital murder cases than Austin County in recent years.

Austin County Judge Carolyn Bilski says the county has had five capital murder trials in the last four years and there is one more coming up. This she says, has cost the county millions of dollars. The Judge says the county needs an ‘insurance policy’ to pay for death penalty cases and when the county commissioners meet Monday they may find one.

Judge Bilski says capital murder trials are the most expensive cases to prosecute and these cases have hit the county hard., She said the commissioners are considering an inter-local agreement with the Regional Public Defender for Capital Cases, to help the county..

The Austin County Courthouse in Bellville has been the site for a rash of capital murder trials. Four ranch hands were tried for the murder of a doctor at his Bellville ranch. Less than six months later Maron Thomas went on a shooting rampage killing five of his family members.

The Austin County Commissioners are meeting Monday at nine at the courthouse in Bellville.